many party members openly disesteemed the primary system, which was new to the Socialists and only used once before. Royal's unexpectedly powerful victory in the primary was criticized as a failure of the system. Widely varying plans to redesign the 2011 primary coalesced into a grand bargain which would allow certain non-members of the party to cast ballots: in a process both experimental and controversial, voting rights for 2011 were made available (for a nominal registration fee) to any party "sympathizer". Approximately 2.5 million people cast ballots in the presidential primary of 2011, more than a tenfold increase in the number of voters from 2006. All three of the main contenders remained active and influential in French politics long after the 2006 primary. Fabius assumed the office of Foreign Minister in 2012. Strauss-Kahn became head of the International Monetary Fund and in early 2011 was considered the frontrunner for the primary, but ultimately he decided not to run. Royal retained her regional leadership in Poitou-Charentes and even pursued a second presidential nomination in 2011, albeit with limited results. References Socialist Party (France) Socialist Party presidential primary 2007 French presidential election Primary elections in France